The story of Daniel begins at the end of the 7th century B.C. Because of the disobedience of the Israelites, God gave them over as captives to the Babylonians, whose ruler was King Nebuchadnezzar. He besieged Jerusalem, three times deporting people to Babylon. Daniel and his friends were part of the initial deportation in 605 B.C.

Read Daniel 1:1-7.

What descriptions are used for Daniel and the other teenage boys taken in this first captivity (Dan. 1:3-4)?

Put yourself in Daniel’s position. Imagine what that kind of situation might have entailed if you had been part of his group. What things would you have lost? What feelings may have you had generally, toward those in the palace, and toward God?

Sharing question: Describe a time in your own life when you were placed in a difficult situation through no fault of your own. Describe your emotions. What were your feelings toward God?

God desires us to obey Him out of His love for us, because He wants what is best for us. In some circumstances that may be difficult to grasp, and so we choose not to obey. We all have areas of our lives where we desire to stay in control rather than following God’s lead. Sharing question: What biblical command is difficult for you because either you don’t grasp God’s reasons for it or because you don’t agree that it is best?

Responding to God: Talk to God about your lack of faith in his wisdom concerning that command. Confess it as sin and ask for the grace to trust Him enough to obey without always understanding.

Obedience is somewhat of a four-letter word to many of us. We think back to the days of our childhood with unpleasant memories of being forced to obey our parents or our teachers. There is something within each of us that desires to be our own boss instead of submitting to someone else’s wishes.

A Precious Word from God

But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine.

Obedience is somewhat of a four-letter word to many of us. We think back to the days of our childhood with unpleasant memories of being forced to obey our parents or our teachers. There is something within each of us that desires to be our own boss instead of submitting to someone else’s wishes.

As our heavenly parent, God doesn’t force us to obey him, but he teaches us that obedience is for our best. And he, as a perfect and all-knowing Father, discerns what that is!

The biblical concept of obedience could be defined as humble compliance to God’s commands. The Greek word involves listening or hearkening.1 As a mother, I can remember many instances when I told my children to do things, which they never did. Often, their excuse was that they didn’t hear me; obviously, they heard me talking but never really listened to what I had to say. True obedience means that we listen to God and then act on his words.

Day One Study

Before we get into the story of Daniel, we are going to observe Jesus’ obedience while he lived on earth and submitted to the Father.

c. Hebrews 12:1-2 (We looked at this in the last lesson on believing but consider more specifically how Jesus’ faith related to His obedience.)

4. Responding to God: Spend a few minutes quietly considering Jesus’ obedience on your behalf, even humbling Himself to die as a common criminal on a cross and all the abuse that entailed. You may want to read back through the verses in the previous question. Write down a prayer of thanks.

5. Sharing question: Share with your group how you felt as you considered what Jesus did for you.

]]>https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2013/03/02/lesson-2-day-1-obedient/feed/0covenantladiesOne moment in His presence, One wave of His glory can change life’s forever!https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/one-moment-in-his-presence-one-wave-of-his-glory-can-change-lifes-forever/
https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/one-moment-in-his-presence-one-wave-of-his-glory-can-change-lifes-forever/#commentsThu, 21 Feb 2013 18:16:23 +0000http://covenantladies.wordpress.com/?p=443Sisters…I want to start off by saying, Jesus loves you and encourage you to keep the faith! Life can throw some curve balls in our paths. Sometimes the journey is rough and we begin to look and search out ways that are not always profitable for the journey. David said in Psalms, 39:5; that every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Therefore, It is good for us to draw near to God and trust in Him and declare all His goodness towards us, building ourselves up on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

Job said it in 22:27-28 ” Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him and He shall hear thee…..You shall decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light of God’s favor shall shine upon your ways.”

Heavenly Father I come in agreement with You concerning my Sisters in Christ. Heavenly Father, I ask You to cause Your anointing to break and destroy every yoke of bondage in their lives…In Jesus Name. Renew their minds with fill it with the gifts of the Spirit, peace, love, joy, meekness, faithfulness with long-suffering and self-control. Fill them with Your anointing and power and cover them with Your Presence. Father one moment in Your presence, one wave of Your glory can change their life forever! I pray that You will continually guide them and satisfy their desires toward You and revive the scorched places in their life’s and give them strength to their bones and water to their desert places so that they can spring forth water, whose waters never fail according to Your Word. Isaiah 58:11. I pray in the Name of Jesus Christ that You destroy all powers of demonic spirits that are coming against their family unit, that You would encamp Your angels and chariots of fire all around them. Father Your Word says, no weapon formed against us shall prosperous and every tongue which rises against us in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their Righteousness is From You, says the Lord. Amen.

]]>https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/one-moment-in-his-presence-one-wave-of-his-glory-can-change-lifes-forever/feed/3covenantladiesCommunity Prayer Requesthttps://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/community-prayer-request/
https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/community-prayer-request/#commentsSun, 17 Feb 2013 05:53:27 +0000http://covenantladies.wordpress.com/?p=431A Blessing Prayer was laid upon my heart for the Women and their families in this group. Friends, Be much Encouraged!

Lord Jesus Christ I ask you according to your Word to anoint every women and every member of her family. Pour out Your Anointing on them. Lord cover them with your glory and tangible presence, give them a fresh new release and flow in their inner man with rivers of living water springing up forth abundantly with Life abundant, fill them so that they will overflow with Your favor, compassion and love, Your understanding, Your wisdom. Anoint them to hear Your voice over a stranger, Give them spiritual eyes to see and a heart to understand and be led by Your Holy Spirit. Father release boldness, confidence and obedient to do Your will. Fill them with Your gifts, anointing and blessing and all else You have for them according to Your will. Father shine through them so that they may be a light to their children, husbands, friends and love ones, Women of influence, godly character, always showing forth an act of worship to You, in Jesus Name. Amen!

]]>https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/community-prayer-request/feed/10covenantladiesHappy New Year!https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/happy-new-year/
https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/happy-new-year/#respondTue, 01 Jan 2013 17:04:23 +0000http://covenantladies.wordpress.com/?p=412Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you them, For, behold, I create new heaven and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isaiah 42:9 & 65:17.

Happy (Roman Calendar) New Year!! As we plan and set goals for the Year 2013, lets keep in mind what God has in mind concerning us in the coming months…Christ is the Beginning of one’s experience in God, it’s the first foundational experience of our beginning! Ex. 12:2; 13:4, states, the beginning of months for a nation is A’bid (April). Here we see how God changed the calendar for us and gave us a new calendar, a new beginning, a new birth in Jesus Christ!

1 Peter 2:9 & 1:9-11, but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, they ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light….we testified of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow…..

Enjoy and look forward to the Biblical new beginning in the month of April! AMEN!!!

The world is awaiting to do battle with your child. Give your child the best armor needed for eternal success!!

As a mom, I often pray concerning my ability to be the mom God wants me to be. As parents we don’t know, we doubt sometimes and we miss it. Just as God chose to use Peter, the disciple who denied Him, to preach the sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2, God chooses to use me as an imperfect mom to impact the lives of my children and to model what the life of faith in Jesus Christ looks like.

A key passage on parenting, teaching and/or training our children that the Lord keeps before my husband and me is Deuteronomy 6:4-8.

Listen, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind,your whole being,and all your strength.

These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. Inscribe them on the door frames of your houses and gates. (Deut 6:4-8)

We can apply the principles given long ago to Israel as we parent our children today. In this passage we see that the first priority is to love God wholeheartedly. Then we are to teach our children. Our faith is not confined to the sanctuary on Sunday morning during the worship service. We are to be teaching in the morning, in carpool, in the grocery store, at the mall, and at bedtime. We are to relate what we know about God and His purposes to the everyday occurrences of life. We are to live out our relationship with Jesus Christ each day in the mundane activities of life. As parents, we are charged with the primary responsibility of teaching our children about God. We cannot outsource this responsibility.

Handing down our faith is more than asking our children to put their faith in Jesus. We can begin with the youngest child to talk about God and His love, to acknowledge Him as Creator of all things, and to build a foundation for faith. When the Holy Spirit convicts that child and draws him to the Savior, the knowledge of who Christ is has already been planted. Start today to plant seeds of the knowledge of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the basics of the Christian walk in the life of your child. Brainstorm with other moms about creative ways to impart your faith. Begin today to teach your children about the most important relationship in life, a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Action Step: Begin to hand down your faith by being intentional, relational, and repetitive in your teaching. Start by choosing a time of day and a routine that you can repeat. For example, you might decide to pray with your children each morning before they leave for school. Write out one thing you will do to teach your children about a relationship with Jesus.

]]>https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/growing-in-godliness-for-moms-believing/feed/2covenantladiesAgreement….https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/362/
https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/362/#respondWed, 05 Dec 2012 18:46:22 +0000http://covenantladies.wordpress.com/?p=362Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives, while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear (holiness by sanctification in the heart, being humble with the fear of God, not usurping authority over your husband)….Be all of one mind, having compassion one of another, for the Lord eyes are over the righteous and His ears are open unto their prayers…(1 Peter 3:1-2, 11, 15).
]]>https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/362/feed/0covenantladiesPrayer meets in…https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/prayer-meets-in/
https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/prayer-meets-in/#respondWed, 05 Dec 2012 18:05:57 +0000http://covenantladies.wordpress.com/?p=358

Prayer meets inner needs……..and makes a difference in the lives of others……resulting in the greater, looking to the END of your faith.

I’ve learned that the most meaningful prayer comes from a heart that places its trust in God by faith in Jesus Christ. Also effective prayer is scriptually recieved (spirit of wisdom & revelation in the knowledge of Hm, Eph 1:17-18) faith come by hearing and hearing the Word of God, receiving the finish work of Jesus Christ, which grants the grace by which God hear and answer us. A confident prayer life is built on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ’s work only, and His word only as shown by the prophets and the apostles in the Bible.

]]>https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/prayer-meets-in/feed/0covenantladiesStatement of Faithhttps://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2012/12/02/statement-of-faith/
https://covenantladies.wordpress.com/2012/12/02/statement-of-faith/#respondSun, 02 Dec 2012 19:48:04 +0000http://covenantladies.wordpress.com/?p=266• We believe that God is the creator of the universe creating both of the seen (physical) and the unseen (spiritual) realms and that God the creator is also the giver of life.

• We believe the Holy Bible is God’s word Personally spoken by God for mankind for the purpose of revealing who He is and it is without error in all issues to which it speaks.

• We believe in the Triunity (Trinity), one God in three Persons, consisting of Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit.

• We Believe Jesus Christ is Divine God who came from Heaven to mankind as a man yet retaining the Divinity of God and who while living a sinless life was rejected and betrayed by man to be crucified and die on the cross yet not to remain dead but to Resurrect the third day in accordance with His Everlasting Divine life.

• We believe that the death of Jesus on the cross provided complete atonement for all the sins of the world therefore cleansing those who choose to be cleansed from their sin to then receive the Holy Spirit and by receiving the Holy Spirit becoming “Born Again” and being Born Again becoming children of God. Children in the family of God and as children in a personal relationship with their Father who is God above all and as children also inheritors in the Heavenly Kingdom of Jesus the kingdom that is without end.

• We believe that Jesus is the judge of all of mankind’s thoughts, intentions and actions and that He is just and wise in His judgment. As judge, Jesus will judge the unjust to everlasting condemnation while to the righteous He will give of His life, His gifts, and His glory.

• We believe Jesus physically rose from the dead, was seen by and interacted with many eyewitnesses including the Disciples and Apostles and that Jesus has now ascended back into Heaven where He originally came from. Jesus is currently seated in Majesty, Power and Authority alongside the Father and He is now accessible to us in both Prayer and Fellowship.

Covenant Ladies is an outreach of Our Report Ministries and exists to connect women of the Body of Christ and the community

To Christ

To women of other ages and stages

To ministry service

so that we grow together in the faith, knowledge, and love of Jesus Christ.

Women’s Bible Study Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Women’s Ministry Bible study is to grow in intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through daily study and application of the Scriptures, prayer, and building relationships through intergenerational small groups.

Leader’s Commitment and Mission

With God’s help I will strive to uphold and preserve the truths of the Bible.

Relying on the strength of the Spirit I will endeavor to be faithful in completing my own studies, attending each session, and preparing for discussion.

By equally accepting and loving each woman in my group, I will, with God’s help, be sensitive to the varied needs in my group.

What is a leader?

The role of the leader is one of serving and encouraging women in the body to know Jesus Christ and make Him known. She looks out for the interests of others because she is a servant leader who cares for each one individually. A leader is not dominant but encourages and strives for participation from all members. The goal is to enable them to deepen their faith and commitment to passionately pursue Jesus Christ. She is there to help them walk with Christ and grow in their personal study of God’s Word. If she seeks to be an instructor, the women will be forever dependent on her. To see them become independently dependent upon their Lord is the objective!

Qualities Leader

Full of faith

A good leader trusts in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and trusts God to accomplish the work that He has called her to do.

Dependent upon God

A good leader knows that her strength and guidance comes through the Holy Spirit and through prayer as she seeks God in daily prayer.

Compassionate

A good leader reaches out in love to the women God has called her to oversee.

Transparent

A good leader is not afraid to be transparent and allow her life to be an example to others.

Trustworthy

A good leader can be trusted to keep confidential information private, not given to gossip but to prayer.

Humble

A good leader serves God first and foremost and is intent upon pleasing Him above all others.

Sincere

A good leader listens to others with sincere interest in what the other person is trying to communicate. She answers thoughtfully, giving advice only when prompted by God.